Fixing a Naval Warfare Artifact

O

oldbillthundercheif

Moderator
Of all the firearms that were left at my house during the hurricaine, the only one that I have been unable to get back into shooting condition is the Ruger 10/22 my father gave me for shooting rats at our buddy Kurt's grain silo in MI many, many years ago. Because of this it has sentimental value for me and I am dedicated to fixing it.

I have been soaking it in various rust removers, penetrating oils, and other hard-core metal cleaning products for months now but it is still rusted shut. This process worked on my other submarine firearms, at least to the point where I could take them apart and go to town with more abrasive and corrosive products and brass toothbrushes.

I don't think I want to soak it in "blue and rust remover" or anything that will remove much metal, but it is still locked up tight. The rust on all the visible metal surfaces has been mostly removed but all of the screws are rusted solidly into place, the mag release won't budge, the same goes for the trigger, safety, bolt, and everything else.

What are my options?
 
I would bet the cocking handle is rusted solid to the guide rod. This would prevent you from manually cycling the bolt. Hopefully the aluminum receiver and trigger housing are still in good shape.

Your best bet may be to salvage the receiver and replace everything else with parts from eBay or Numrich.
 
Sounds like you are down to desperate measures. You might try Coca-Cola.
I've loosened some pretty badly rusted screws with this method. (Just don't leave it too long or you won't have anything left.:D ) (I also don't know what it might do to aluminum.)
 
Try putting the cocking handle against the edge of a solid table and bump the back of the stock with your hip.
 
I have recently tried a penetrating fluid called Kroil. Supposed to be able to get into a gap one millionth of an inch wide. Worked better than anything I have ever tried. Comes in a spray can. Before the Kroil, you might try heat cycling up to a couple of hundred degrees (~250 to 300 F) and cooling back to room temp a few times. Then apply the Kroil and let set for a couple of days. If no movement, put a brass rod against the bolt where ever you can and give it many many taps with a small hammer. (Actually, a small pneumatic hammer at a low air pressure setting and using the brass rod to direct the rapid fire vibration will losen almost anything on the plannet.

Best of luck.
 
Kroll works good, but I would get some liquid wrench and soak the sucker for a few days in it. then tap away with the mallet.

If that doesn't work I would dunk it in CLP for almost a week.

Brake cleaner, diesel fuel or kerosene might work as well, but they are flammable and the brake cleaner will strip the blue off.

The coke is a good idea, but it will strip the blue off as well. Plus it will eat away at the metal if left for any long period of time, but it would work.
 
Brake cleaner will not hurt the bluing, but it won't help much with the rust.
It looks like you are going to have to use more drastic measures. Remove the stock, and disassemble as much as you can. Remove the barrel. Maybe you can see exactly what is rusted shut. The aluminum receiver will not rust, but aluminum can corrode badly under the right conditions. Heat, penetrating oil, and force are all I can suggest.

Bill
 
I'll have to try the heat... I've tried soaking it in Kroil, CLP, and quite a few other things over the past several months.

I'm not worried about the finish on the aluminum parts, it flaked off early in the process leaving a very clean, bright, bare aluminum surface.

I would like to preserve the blue on the barrel as it is, believe it or not, perfectly preserved (a tip 'o the hat to Ruger). The stock picked up a fine-looking dark coloration from the petrochemical soup it was immersed in and does not need any help either.

Does anyone have any tips for heating it up without setting it on fire? Considering all the products I have tried on this gun this is a concern for me and rules out open flames...
 
I wouldn't worry about setting it on fire. If it really scares you just degrease with carb or brake cleaner the day before you heat it with a propane (not acetylene) torch. After you heat it then hit it with the Kroil again and try the brass rod method.
 
Use a heat gun, not propane. The aluminum receiver will melt before you know it. Just get it hot, so the oil can soak into the rust better. Simply heating it for the sake of heating will have no effect. The barrel should come off by removing the setscrews.
Bill
 


Actually, heating will cause the metal to expand - and at different rates.

This could well break things free.

You might try putting it in the oven at around 300 degrees - but the propane torch isn't a bad idea. I'm not sure the heat gun will do the trick, but it's easiest to control.




-tINY

 
Do not heat firearms without expert knowledge of both the metals and the procedure.
My tip: Balistol has never ever let me down. Rinse your gun clean with some light hydrocarbon e.g. white spirit, wait for it to dry, apply PLENTY of balistol.
Give it a couple of hours to creep into the action, and more important into all cracks. Balistol has unbelievable capilary properties.

Good luck, dutchy.

Remember, allthough they did not win either game, Balistol served the germans in 2 world wars
 
Don't heat it.

Freeze it.

It does the same thing as heating, only in reverse.

Drain the oil from it, wrap it well in plastic, and stick it in a deep freeze for at least 72 hours -- the colder the better.

The metal contracts and helps break all of the adhesions that prevent the parts from moving.

I've used that technique numerous times on items that are badly rusted.

Two years ago my Father was digging around in the deep freeze and found the circa 1903 outside wall sconce that I was restoring. He wasn't home when I stuck it in the freezer. He was quite amused, but very pleased when the 4 screws holding the arm onto the wall plate backed right out after 3 days in the freezer.
 


Freezing is a little safer, probably. But a 300 deg oven isn't any danger to any metal parts.....




-tINY

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top